Resignation of metropolitan archbishop of Lecce, Italy, and appointment of successor

Resignation of bishop of Gubbio, Italy, and appointment of successor

Resignation of bishop of Mondovì, Italy, and appointment of successor

Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Vilnius, Lithuania

Resignation of metropolitan archbishop of Lecce, Italy, and appointment of successor

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of Lecce, Italy, presented by H.E. Rev. Msgr. Domenico D’Ambrosio.

The Pope has appointed as metropolitan archbishop of Lecce, Italy, H.E. Msgr. Michele Seccia, transferring him from the episcopal see of Teramo-Atri.

H.E. Msgr. Michele Seccia

H.E. Msgr. Michele Seccia was born in Barletta, province of Bari, in the archdiocese of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie, on 6 June 1951. He studied in the diocesan seminary of Bisceglie and the regional seminary of Molfetta.

He obtained a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, a licentiate in moral theology from the Alphonsianum Institute and a degree in philosophy from the “La Sapienza” University of Rome.

He was ordained a priest on 26 November 1977 for the archdiocese of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie.

Since priestly ordination he has held the following offices: from 1977 to 1985 deputy priest, then from 1985 to 1992 parish priest, of the Spirito Santo parish; from 1979 to 1982, director of the Catechistic Office; since 1978, lecturer in moral theology at the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences and teacher of religion at the state lyceum, and of philosophy and pedagogy at the Istitute Magistrale. From 1987 to 1997 he was vicar general of the archdiocese of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie.

He was elected to the see of San Severo on 20 June 1997, and received episcopal ordination the following 8 September.

At that time he also held the office of secretary of the Regional Episcopal Conference. Within the Italian Episcopal Conference he has been member of the Episcopal Commission for Catholic Education, School and University.

On 24 June 2006 he was transferred to the see of Teramo-Atri, in Abruzzo.

Resignation of bishop of Gubbio, Italy, and appointment of successor

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Gubbio, Italy, presented by H.E. Rev. Msgr. Mario Ceccobelli.

The Pope has appointed as bishop of Gubbio, Italy, H.E. Msgr. Luciano Paolucci Bedini, of the clergy of the metropolitan archdiocese of Ancona-Osino, currently rector of the Pontifical Pius XI Regional Seminary, Ancona.

H.E. Msgr. Luciano Paolucci Bedini

H.E. Msgr. Luciano Paolucci Bedini was born in Jesi, province of Ancona and diocese of Jesi, on 30 August 1968. At the age of 21 he entered the Pontifical Pius XI Regional Seminary of the Marches in Fano, and obtained his bachelor’s degree in theology from the Theological Institute of the Marches.

On 30 September 1995 he was ordained a priest by the archbishop of Ancona-Osimo, and incardinated in the same archdiocese.

After ordination he exercised his pastoral ministry as deputy priest, attending the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome from 1996 to 1999 and obtaining a licentiate in theology.

He has held the following pastoral offices: parish vicar of Saint Paul the Apostle in Ancona from 1995 to 2004; director of the diocesan Catechistic Office from 1999 to 2011; lecturer in catechetics and pastoral theology at the Institute of Religious Sciences in Ancona from 2001 to 2011; director of the Regional Catechistic Office from 2003 to 2010; vice rector of the Pontifical Pius XI Regional Seminary of Ancona from 2004 to 2010; regional ecclesiastical assistant of the AGESCI from 2005 to 2010, and since 2010, rector of the Pontifical Pius XI Regional Seminary of Ancona and member of the regional presbyteral commission.

He is the author of publications on catechetics.

Resignation of bishop of Mondovì, Italy, and appointment of successor

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Mondovì, Italy, presented by H.E. Rev. Msgr. Luciano Pacomio.

The Pope has appointed as bishop of Gubbio, Italy, H.E. Msgr. Egidio Miragoli, of the clergy of the diocese of Lodi, currently pastor of the Santa Francesca Cabrini parish in Lodi, judge of the Lombard Regional Ecclesiastical Tribunal, and lecturer in canon law.

H.E. Msgr. Egidio Miragoli

H.E. Msgr. Egidio Miragoli was born in Gradella di Pandino on 20 July 1955.

He attended the diocesan seminary of Lodi, and the Pontifical Gregorian University, where he obtained a doctorate in canon law. He is an expert on the Sacrament of Penitence.

He was ordained a priest on 23 June 1979, and incardinated in the diocese of Lodi.

He has held the following offices: special secretary to H.E. Mgr. Magnani, emeritus of Treviso, and H.E: Msgr. Capuzzi, emeritus of Lodi, from 1982 to 1994; pastoral collaborator at San Fereolo; director of theological studies at the episcopal seminary from 1988 to 1994; Defender of the Bond of the diocesan tribunal from 1985 to 2003; Promoter of Justice from 1988 to 2003; director of the Mary Immaculate Most Holy and Saint Pius X Priestly Institute from 1990 to 2004; lecturer in canon law in the united Theological Studies of the Seminaries of Crema-Cremona-Lodi-Vigevano from 1982.

Since 1992 he has served as parish priest of the Santa Francesca Cabrini parish in Lodi; since 2006 he is vicar forane for the city of Lodi and since 2007, judge of the Lombard Regional Ecclesiastical Tribunal.

He is one of the founder members of the editorial board of the journal of Quaderni di Diritto Ecclesiale in which he has published a number of contributions and “Il Sacramento della Penitenza” in 2015.

Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Vilnius, Lithuania

The Holy Father has appointed as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Vilnius, Lithuania, the Rev. Darius Trijonis of the clergy of the diocese of Telšiai, currently parish administrator of the Cathedral of Telšiai, assigning him the titular see of Fissiana.

Rev. Darius Trijonis

The Rev. Darius Trijonis was born in Telšiai, episcopal city, on 21 April 1973. After his higher middle school studies in Telšiai he attended the diocesan seminary from 1991 to 1996.

He was ordained a priest on 18 May 1997 for the diocese of Telšiai. From 1997 to 1999 he studied in Rome and obtained a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Lateran University. Upon his return from Rome he held the role of prefect and lecturer in the diocesan seminary until 2002.

From 2002 to 2006 he studied at the Higher Institute of Moral Theology, the Alphonsianum Academy, and obtained a doctorate in moral theology. In 2005 he was also vice-rector and lecturer in the seminary until 2007. In the year 2006 he was also lecturer in catechetics at the University of Klaipėda. From 2007 to 2008 he held the office of prefect of studies of the diocesan seminary. In 2008 he was appointed as parish priest of the Holy Family of Plikai. From 2010 to 2015 he as under-secretary of the Episcopal Conference of Lithuania. Finally, in 2015 he was appointed as administrator of the Cathedral of Telšiai.